1. Field
This invention relates to an apparatus for collecting Fresnel Incoherent Correlation Holography (FINCH) or other holography images by use of a birefringent lens or optical element to alter the phase properties of the received light or other electromagnetic radiation. The invention also relates to systems and methods for collecting these holography images.
2. Description of the Related Art
Holograms are records of the interference patterns created by two or more light or other radiation waves. In order for the waves to interfere they must have different phase properties. In current holography methods the waves that are to be interfered are passed through different optical paths that impart different phase properties on each wave. In one class of methods of single-path holography, the waves are commonly given different phase properties by being passed through or reflected off of digitized phase patterns displayed on a spatial light modulator (SLM) or other optical element. In another class of methods for self-interference holography, the waves originate from a single wave and are split by a beam splitter, then reflected off differing mirrors before being recombined in the last part of the beam path and brought to interfere. All of these methods produce holograms that may suffer from significant defects due to slight mismatches in optical path length, quantization errors or undesired diffraction effects of the SLM or other optical element. An apparatus, system or method that allowed all the waves to pass in the same optical path while receiving different phase properties, without being subject to unnecessary reflections or quantization errors or undesired diffraction effects, would be a material advance in the field of holography.